China warns India after it launches a probe into photovoltaic products

Indian authorities should take a prudent attitude and conduct probes strictly in line with related regulations to avoid abusing trade remedy measures, a senior official from China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Monday.

The comment came after India launched an anti-dumping investigation over photovoltaic cells and components imported from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Malaysia on Friday.

China is paying close attention to the anti-dumping probe, Wang Hejun, head of the trade remedy and investigation bureau of the MOFCOM, said in a statement posted on the WeChat account of the MOFCOM.

All countries should make joint efforts to boost the healthy development of the photovoltaic industry rather than resort to trade remedy measures to disrupt normal trade orders, as the industry plays a significant role in tackling climate change, facilitating electricity usage in rural areas and eliminating poverty, Wang said.

In recent years, the photovoltaic industry in India has been growing rapidly, thanks to China's exports of photovoltaic products of reasonable prices and high quality, according to Wang. The industry in India grew 3.7 folds in the past three years, data showed.

Attempting to restrain photovoltaic battery and components trade is not beneficial to the development of the industry in India, and trade remedy measures will not help achieve goals for renewable energy either, Wang said.

Launching a probe is not favorable for the in-depth integration and long-term development of the global photovoltaic industry chain, and also not conducive to Sino-India economic and trade cooperation, he said.

China is willing to strengthen exchanges with India and resolve trade issues through cooperation to realize common development of the industry in both markets, Wang said.